Are all Sawny's evil?

[William Douglas]

I hope not! Sawney is a Scots version of Sandy, itself a shortened version of Alexander, so perhaps it was in common usage, but I have only found three examples of the name, and the stories that go with them are certainly not fairy tales.

SAWNEY BEAN was reportedly an incredible monster who, with his Wife, lived by murder and cannibalism in a cave. He was executed at Leith along with his whole Family in the Reign of James the First.


SAWNEY CUNNINGHAM was an abandoned villain who inveigled and murdered his Wife's lover, murdered his uncle, terrorised the country-side. He too was executed at Leith, 12th of April,1635


SAWNY DOUGLAS was Scottish highwayman who laid England under toll, and took a copy of "Chevy Chase" to Tyburn when he was hanged on 10th of September, 1664.

He is one of several rogues and vagabonds who have their place in the Douglas Archives. If you know of any more, we would love to hear their stories.

[William Douglas]

Cross reference:
https://douglashistory.ning.com/forum/topics/george-douglas-of-acco... 

[Russell Lynn Drysdale]

William,

I know of one other Sawney. A Saponi Indian who had a few choice words on the subject of Lt. Governor Hugh Drysdale while he was drunk, Sawney was a Alexander Spotswood fan.

Source: Archive Division, Virginia State Library, Richmond, VA, Spotsylvania County, Order Book 1724 to
1730

...''Day of September 1724. Who being Duly sworn and Examined Deposeth and saith that on fryday the
28th of Aug’t last, he heard an Indian man called Sawny ay that he fear’d not Gov’r Drisdal that he
was an Irish son of a bitch. That he and all the Indians feared Coll’n Spotswood but that he was no
Gov’r: now, this Deponent further saith that he saw three or four Letters in s’d Indians Custody, and
further saith that the sd Indian when sober, did say several times that the Canada Indians did design to
come down on the Inhabitants of this Colony for they feared no Gov’r now Col’o Spotswood was
gone, and that they were stout fellows though did not care to fight fairly John Lee''...

later Sawney took the name John Collins, and got in some mischief and George Douglas Esquire of Accomack went out of his way to assist Sawney aka John Collins      

source: Page 311 Orange County Court Records,
Order Book 3, Reel 31, 1741 to 1742

 ...''indebted to our Sovereign Lord the King his heirs and Successors in the sum of ten pounds Current Money and George Douglas as Security for Charles Griffin and John Collins acknowledged himself indebted to our Lord the King his heirs and Successors in the sum of twenty pounds Current Money''...

  I don't  think this one was compatible to the ones you have listed above.